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Even as a powerful El Nino was predicted, people fretted about losing out on views due to sand breaks (placed there to prevent damage to the coastal homes). Others thought it was a sign that the end was near. Still others thought there was nothing to worry about since they didn't see a powerful storm in the sky at the time it was predicted. Laguna Beach in particular was very heavily hit.
Prepare now by:
Making sure your gutters are all cleaned out.
Making sure that all drains are cleared out.
Making sure you have sandbags ready.
If you have roof repairs that are needed, do them ASAP.
Have tarps purchased in case of emergency (and means to hold it down).
If you have slope on your property, take steps to secure it as best you can.
Remembering the possibility of landslides and take action to lessen that chance.
Having a pool cover (if you have a pool).
I will ask my HOA to get ready with sandbags no later than September so as to keep mud off of the sidewalks. What will you do?
I bought 2 umbrellas, an extra rain coat and rain boots.
I'll also keep my kayak strapped to the top of my Jeep Wrangler for the entire Winter season, install new windshield wipers, and put in rubber floor mats.
I bought 2 umbrellas, an extra rain coat and rain boots.
I'll also keep my kayak strapped to the top of my Jeep Wrangler for the entire Winter season, install new windshield wipers, and put in rubber floor mats.
I thought about setting up my mom's 2-person sit on top kayak on her lattice (accessible from the 2nd-story) if things got really bad for her. Fortunately for us both is that our homes are located about 30 and .25 miles from the ocean. We both live in pockets that don't require flood insurance. As for me, I've had a leaky skylight ever since I bought my house. I'll have it replaced and the roof fixed before October. I'm also have 28 push-piers and 6 helical piers to support and re-level my house next month; I might as well upgrade the drains while I'm at it.
From what I'm told, my house was 1.5 ft underwater during the last El Nino due to insufficient drainage. The homeowner at the time took a sledgehammer to the side wall to lower the water level! If El Nino does in fact happen, we will likely see a lot of mudslides due to our soil conditions and the lack of vegetation that died during the drought.
Got drainage? For those living in the hills, ensure you have french drains in the correct places to prevent water under your foundation / in your crawl space / etc. If not, there is still time to install them, prior to the first soaking rains and inevitable down slope seepage.
For those on the flats, be sure grading is correct to ensure water flows away from your foundation. If you are on the flats and this is not the case, consider regrading if you can do so without violating termite guidlines (e.g. no earth wood contact). Worst case, french drains with one or more sump pumps may be needed.
Know your flood zone maps and know where you are versus them.
Thanks a lot for the heads-up! I actually don't really remember the '97 El Nino, because my life was too crazy, but I remember how bad the '82/'83 one was. '97 was suppose to be worse than the '80s.
Man, I'm getting ready now and am warning my family and friends. I learned from this weekend's storm that one of my gutters got clogged, so no water in the rain barrel--ugh!
The city of Long Beach gave away sand bags to residents in the last El Nino storm. Do cities normally offer that or should I hoard some later before Home Depot runs out?
What I remember about the '97 El Nino was how cold it was (living in Orange). Seemed like we went many weeks without hitting 70 degrees that winter. And of course all the rain.
I have a feeling this one will be bad. The weather i Denver is way off from typical summer. We had a freak heavy snow in early May, and then it's rained so much since then that areas that aren't irrigated are still green. Overall, cooler than normal too.
If you live near a flood control channel check to see if there is debris in it. (Dirt, tree limbs, trash, shopping carts.) Debris will hinder the flow of water. Blocked channels cause overflow into surrounding neighborhoods. AKA flooding. Contact the Flood Division of the Orange County Works Department and report any possible blockages. They will check and, if necessary, clean the channel. Do that NOW and as necessary. Calling to report a blocked channel during the rains is too late.
Also check neighborhood storm drains. If drains from the street (at the curb) are blocked....the water has no place to go. In some areas the drains are covered, or sand-bagged,in the dry season to keep trash from the street entering the drainage channels. Check those as well. Localized street and freeway flooding is often the result of blocked drains.
Last edited by DewDropInn; 07-24-2015 at 04:58 PM..
I found on line that certain firestations in each city have free sandbags (you still have to fill them). Home Depot also carries them.
The media has not yet started to alarm the public yet. We should get a head start.
I've fixed a section of my roof, thankfully just before the downpour. Some tiles slide around as homes age...they need to be moved into place.
Mudslides are just as dangerous as landslides in many cases. People should be prepared for long prolonged storms.
I am also going to get a generator too since power can be disrupted during huge storms.
I think Russlancea also mentioned getting a head start.
I remember in the '97 el nino in Altadena where I grew up, there was a car that was literally picked up by a mudslide and sent two or three blocks down the road until it finally ended at a t-junction in someone else's yard.
I remember filling sand bags to help out with some of my friends' houses that were hit especially hard. Luckily my house wasn't damaged at all. Always got hit worse by windstorms than mudslides.
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